THE CHANNEL COUNTRY’S FINEST FLIGHT including LAKE EYRE

When I visited Longreach, I left with one regret. I missed viewing the countryside of the Lake Eyre Basin, Channel Country and Lake Eyre itself, from the air.

Air Central West offers one and two day Channel Country and Lake Eyre Tours. You are encouraged to share this experience with a few of your friends, or you can be included  in a group with a few others. Either way, you’ll make lasting memories with old and new friends alike. You’ll fly over rivers and creeks as they wind through the Lake Eyre Basin, a unique sight with ample opportunities to capture stunning photographs. A stopover at Birdsville gives you time to grab a coffee, indulge in the local bakery’s delights, visit the iconic Birdsville Hotel, view the birdlife on the Lagoon, or enjoy the view as the sun sets over the Big Red sand dune.  Fly over the Diamantina Channels, Cooper Creek and Lake Eyre itself.  You can find more details about each tour on their website, www.aircentralwest.com.au.

Phillip and Lyndel Owens founded their business, Air Central West, in 1995. Their operation began by providing executive charter for mining companies and government departments. Their fleet has grown to include three immaculately presented fixed-wing aircraft and they now provide specialised charter flights and air tours that venture across some of Australia’s most unique, expansive terrain.

The best time to visit Longreach and outback Australia is from April through to September, when the weather is cooler/before it gets too hot. Outback Queensland’s crisp, winter mornings make for smooth flying conditions and a comfortable ride so that you can focus on enjoying the view of meandering river systems, vast deserts, and extensive channel country.

This Lake Eyre flooding phenomenon occurs once every few decades or more; the last major event similar to this one occurred in 1974. If you’re intending on passing through Longreach, contact Air Central West to organise one or two days to really discover the Outback. Flights are available with QantasLink direct from Brisbane on a daily basis, so you could even make a trip of it and explore the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders’ Museum whilst you’re here. Oh, and if I miss you in Longreach this year, maybe I’ll see you in Birdsville for a beer.